Dream Tamer
by 2sidedstoryteller29995
Summary: Albus has always suffered from night terrors. Albus always thought Uncle Charlie was really brave, because he worked with dragons. Can Charlie teach him a thing or two while helping to keep his fear at bay? A little piece of fluff for your enjoyment. Please R&R!


Uncle Charlie came to visit for Easter. He arrived from Romania and we had a bit of a celebration at the time he comes back to Britain, he stays with a different family member. This time, it was our turn.

By the time we got home it was very late. James made his way to his room, Charlie went with him to put away his things. James has bunk beds. If Teddy stays over, he usually stays in James' room too. Dad walked me up to my room. Tucking me in he murmured, 'goodnight Al, sleep well.'

He closed the door and I closed my eyes.

When I opened them I was standing in the middle of a Muggle airport, with Mum, Dad, James and Lily. There were huge crowds. I kept getting pushed to one side. As one businessman shoved me with his elbow, I looked around for help. I recognised no one. They had been there moments before but were now lost in the crowd. I called out, but it was almost impossible to beard over the din.

I was starting to panic. It was then that a security guard grabbed me by the scruff of the neck. He asked me a load of questions, none of which I could answer. I had no voice. Getting more and more annoyed, he dragged me through security.

Once the machines started beeping they wouldn't stop. I gave the security guard a swift quick in the shins and he doubled over. I made a run for it. The security guard started to shout, alerting more men in uniform. They took off after me. Fear clutched my insides as I bolted away. I was faster, much faster than they were and I got outside. As soon as I did, a taxi pulled up.

I hopped in, breathing hard, slammed the door and told him to drive. It was then that I realised we were in London. I blurted out the first place I could think of; London Zoo. As the cab pulled up there not long after, I fumbled in my pockets to pay the man. I was dismayed to discover I had only Sickles and Knuts. Not wanting to get into trouble, I took a chance. I took off my seatbelt, opened the cab door and threw myself out onto the road.

Thankfully, I wasn't hurt. Just scared. Not wanting to stay in the same position for long, in case he came back with the police, I legged it into the Zoo. Sliding under the ticket barrier before the saleswoman could notice.

I ran blindly, trying to get away from the crowds who thronged the entrance. I took endless turns. Eventually I found respite. The room I found myself in was cold, dark and seemingly deserted.

I fumbled along in the dark for a while,. concentrating on not tripping over my feet.

It was then that I saw it. A Boa Constrictor lay in wait, a metre from my nose.

Then, an alarm went off in the distance. The glass that had separated us shattered into a thousand pieces. The snake watched me for a moment, as though deciding something. I tried to run, but his eyes seemed to hypnotise me.

It started to inch towards me lazily. He knew I was powerless. At the last moment, my legs gave out. Down I went. I tried to call out, tried to move against it, but it had already bitten me. A searing pain went through my arm, The harder I fought, the tighter he squeezed me. Squeezed me until there was nothing left.

When I woke up, I had no idea where I was. At first I thought the snake was still trying to kill me, but then I realised I was just being hugged tightly. Whoever it was, rocked me back and forth. I buried my face in his chest, wanting to hide from the snake.

'Daddy! You found me!'

'No mate, it's me, Uncle Charlie... your Dad isn't here. Would you feel better if I went and got him for you?'

It hit me then. It was the middle of the night. The snake had been inside my head. Charlie was here. Charlie had seen me cry.

I shook my head hurriedly, scrambling out of his lap and back into bed. Thank God I didn't have to tell him that I wet the bed. It was bad enough that I had already cried into his shirt. Yet somehow ,he didn't seem all that phased.

'I'm sorry about waking you up,' I murmured.

He grinned. 'It's fine. I've always been a light sleeper.'

'Listen could you do me a favour? Would you mind I slept in here with you? I don't mind roughing it on the floor. It's just that James snores.' I giggled.

'Sure, Uncle Charlie., but would it be okay if we didn't go to sleep right away?'

'That's fine. I got a new dragon book yesterday. Maybe you'd like to take a look through it with me?' _Cool!_

As we settled into bed I whispered. 'I'm sorry for being so afraid.'

He shook his head. 'Everybody's afraid of something.'

'Even you? You're a Gryffindor,' I mumbled aghast.

'Especially us Gryffindors. A lion is a big cat. A big scardy-cat. Cats don't like water and to be honest neither do I. I'm always afraid I'll drown.'

'It's okay to be afraid. The important thing is to not let it get in the way of life. I don't like water, but air is a different story. I'm a born-flier. Fire and water are at odds with each other. I love dragons, so I spend my days working with them.'

I was much calmer, knowing I wasn't alone in my fears. We lay side by side, reading about Welsh Greens and Chinese Fireballs until the sun was a fiery ball in the sky. From then on Charlie stayed in my room. He spent time with us all playing Quidditch and Chess. He was my special friend though.

The day before Easter Sunday Mum decided she needed to get some last-minute things in Diagon Alley. Charlie went with her. I wanted to go too, but Dad said he needed my help in the garden. Reluctantly I agreed to give him a hand.

That night, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. So deep, I didn't really want to be woken from it at first. Then I realised it was Uncle Charlie shaking me and I sat up willingly enough. When I was awake, he apologised.

'Sorry about this Al. I wanted to give your Easter egg in private.'

'Why?' I asked him sleepily.

'You'll see,' he promised. Then, he handed me the egg. It was milk chocolate, the size of dragon's egg, Through the plastic wrapping I could see that the design of the egg itself was a dragon. I gazed at it in awe. _It was too beautiful too eat. _I didn't know what to say.

'Go on, open it,' he encouraged.

'Thank you Uncle Charlie!'

'You're welcome Al, Happy Easter. '

I peeled back the wrapping in delight. _It looked so good!_ I had to force myself to remember my manners. _Charlie was our guest._ As I broke off the first piece to offer to him something caught my eye. As I continued to break off piece after piece my curiosity grew. _Could it be? _

Mum and Dad don't usually give big eggs. They prefer bewitching smaller ones to fly about like snitches. The only way to catch them is to fly. They don't all fly that high though, That wouldn't be fair on Lily. Dad usually helps her catch some.

Then Nan always gives out chocolate eggs filled with toffee.

There was something in Charlie's egg too, only it wasn't food.

_It was a dragon! _

My very own plush Welsh Green.

I extracted him very gently from the egg, placing him on the bed. He was quite cuddly. Hands free, I pulled Uncle Charlie into a hug. He was not quite so cuddly, 'Thank you Charlie!'

'Like I said, you're welcome,' he replied. 'Just remember...'

'I know, he's just a toy. He's not real, but then neither are the creatures in my nightmares,' I murmured. Then as an afterthought, 'you wouldn't give me a real dragon. You wouldn't put me in danger like that.'

Charlie grinned. 'Even if they both were real, a Boa Constrictor wouldn't stand a chance against a Welsh Green. He'd squish him without a second glance,' he joked. I laughed and helped myself to a bit of chocolate.

A couple of nights later, the time had come for Charlie to say goodbye. He had to go back to work. As promised, he woke me. I sat up slowly, clutching my dragon to my chest. I had named him Charlie in honour of my Uncle. 'Charlie, I had a dream,' I murmured.

'Oh?' He looked concerned, bending over me in the darkness.

'Don't worry. Not all dreams are bad. This one wasn't. I dreamt I was in Romania with you. With the dragons,'

Charlie looked pleased. 'Well now, who says it has to stay a dream? Some dreams do come true you know. Keep dreaming. It's okay to be afraid, so long as you're never afraid to dream.'

**A/N: The companion to this story- Brotherly love- set a few years later is up!**


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